Music-leaf turner



h 1. 3 Sheetseet O. H. HUPF.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

892. Patented May 1 mimumuumnuimi i ray bis QAWJS (No Model.) aSheets-Sheet 2. C. H. HUFP.

MUSIC LEAP TURNER.

No. 475.317. Patented May 24, 18912.

w ifIDQSSQS CWE (No Kodak) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. C. H. HUPF'.

. MUSIG LEAF TURNER.

No. 475,317. Patented May 24, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. HUFF, OF TROPICO, CALIFORNIA.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,317, dated May 24,1892.

Application filed August 15, 1891. Serial No. 402,732. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. HUFF, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Tropico, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Music-Leaf Turner, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to music, and more especially to the devicesknown as leafturners, which are adapted to be mounted on pianos ororgans to turn the leaves of a book or the sheets of a piece of musicwhen desired to either the right or left singly or to the rightcollectively without necessitating the withdrawal of the players handsfrom the keyboard; and the object is to produce certain improvements indevices of this character.

To this end the invention consists in the construction hereinafter morefully described and claimed, and as illustrated on the three sheets ofdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a general perspective view of an uprightpiano with my improved attachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a verticalcross-section of the piano, showing the manner in which the cords passaround inside the casin g thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofonehalf of a square piano, showing the arrangement of parts when myattachment is used in connection with a piano of this character. Fig. 4.is an enlarged perspective view of the turner proper with the front halfof its casing removed and showing the cords in diagram as leadingtherefrom, respectively, to Fig. 5, which shows the knee-shift foroperating the strain-repeating devices, Fig. 6, which shows theheel-socket for operating the piecerepeating mechanism, and Fig. 7,which shows the foot-lever for operating the escapement mechanism. Fig.8 is an enlarged perspective detail showing the anti-friction wheels atthe corners of one of the sliding blocks. Fig. 9 is an enlargedperspective detail of one of the cranked rods. Fig. 10 is a similardetail of one of the sheet-turning arms. Fig. 11 is a similardetail ofthe connection between these two members. Fig. 12 is a horizontalsection on the line 12 l2-of Fig. 4, showing the operation of thestrain-repeating mechanism. Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective detail,partly broken away, of the escapement devices,shcw

ing two of the cranked rods in connection therewith. Fig. 1-1 is anenlarged side elevation of one of the holders for clamping the covers ofa music-book. Fig. 15 is a bottom plan view of the devices for adjustingthe foot of the music-rack.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter M designates the musicalinstrument-such as an organ or an upright or square piano--to which myimproved leaf-turner is applied. The turner proper is located within acasing K, adj ustably and removably mounted on the body of the musicalinstrument above the music-rack R, and the covers of a n1usic-book orthe first and last sheets of a piece of music are held open by holdersH. Within the easing are journaled vertical cranked rods 0, each ofwhich carries at its lower end a horizontally-projecting arm A forturning the leaf or sheet of music, these cranked rods being oscillatedin one direction by spring mechanism. The said rods may be turned in theother direction one at a time by a strain-repeating mechanism S, whichis connectedwith and operated by a knee-shift S, located beneath thekeyboard, or they may be turned in that direction collectively bypiece-repeating mechanism P, which is connected with and operated by aheel-socket P,located near the pedals of an upright piano, or anotherkneeshift similar to the one shown in Fig. 5, but located beneath thekeyboard of a square piano in position to be operated by the other knee,and said rods are held against movements by their springs by anescapement E, which is connected with and operated by a foot-lever E,located adjacent the pedals, all these parts being of the constructionand relative arrangement more fully described below and illustrated inthe several figures of the drawings. The casing K is supported in frontof an upright piano by arms 1, removably seated at their upper endsbetween cleats 2 on the piano, and their lower ends having eyes 3,engaging pins 4 in the sides of the easing, and on a square piano thepins 4 are at the lower endof the music-rack 5and engage eyes 3, risingfrom the top of the piano. The casing is composed of a pair ofbox-shaped members 6 and 7, from the latter-of which depends the rack 5,and within this easing the mechanism of the turner proper is located.The outer box-shaped member 0 has a hinged section or door to permitaccess to the interior of the casing.

In order that the rack may be adapted to sheets or books of differentvertical heights, I provide the central vertical barof said rack with aforwardly-projecting slat 10, coated on each face with rubber 11, and tothe bottom of the foot-piece 12 of the rack I pivot at 13 a clip 14,whose projecting thumb-pieces are normally distended by a spring 15, soas to cause its jaws to bite the rubber-faced slat. By this device thefoot of the rack can be raised and lowered when desired.

\Vhen a music-book is placed on the rack, or even when a sheet of musicrests thereon, I employ the holders H for keeping the book open byholding its covers on the rack or preventing the first and last sheetsof the piece of music from being turned over when the other leaves orsheets are turned by my improved turner. This holder comprises a spring20, secured at its upper end to a block 21, projecting forwardly fromone of the side bars of the rack 5,and which spring is adapted to beclamped with its free end on the book-cover by a roller 22, mounted inone end of a lever 23, which is pivoted in alug 24, proj ecting from therack, the pivot being at such point that when the lever is turned aroundit the roller travels down the spring and throws the free end of thelatter forcibly against the book-cover.

In the rear half 7 of the casing K is located a vertical bar 30, havingfor wardly-projecting blocks 31,and in these blocks is pivoted a numberof cranked rods 0. Each rod stands approximately vertical, its upper end32 being bent laterally and connected by a contractile spring 33 withthe left end of the box 7, while the crank 34 in the body of the rodstands between the two blocks 31. The rod is provided with sleeves 35above and below the upper block, Fig. 9, which prevents its verticalmovement through the blocks. At the lower end of the rod is preferablylocated a laterally-projecting curved plate 36 of inverted-U shape, andfrom the outer end of this plate projects a bent rod 37, havinga U-shaped depression 38 at its outer end; but in in Fig. 1 these plates 36are omitted.

In Fig. 10 is shown one of the arms A, which holds the music-leaves thatare to be turned over. The body 40 of this arm is adapted to be passedinto the depression 38 of the rod 37, and then under the curved plate 36at the lower end of one of the cranked rods 0, by which means the armWill be caused to project horizontally from the lower end of the crankedrod, which supports it, and the stud 40 on the arm 40 engages behind thedepression 38 to prevent the arm being thrown out by centrifugal force.

Pivoted on the outer extremity of the body 40 is a pair of levers 41,whose thumb-pieces are held normally distended by a spring 42,

and connected to the lower ends of these levers are horizontal rods 43,having turned-up ends 44 and preferably coated with rubber 45 on theirmeeting faces. The cranked rods G extend downwardlybeneath the lower endof the casing K, as seen in Fig. 1, and the arms A have their horizontalrods clipped on the upper edges of the leaves or sheets. It will beunderstood that the upper ends 32, the cranks 34, and the curved plates36 of the cranked rods, as well as the bodies 40 and the clips of thearms, are so arranged, as shown in the drawings, that they will notinterfere with the motions and operation of the similar parts of othermembers.

The springs 33, it will be seen, normally turn the pages to the left,and in order to turn them all to the right, as at the beginning of apiece of music, I make use of the piece of mechanism or piece-repeatingmechanism P, which consists simply of an arm 50, projecting from thecrank 34 of the last red C to the left, fingers 51 on the cranks andprojecting therefrom in line therewith, and plates 52, near the outerends of alternate fingers, together with means for drawing said arm tothe right, whereby the several plates and fingers standing in contactcause the various cranked rods to be turned. From the arm leads a cord60, passing over a grooved pulley 61 in the casing K and Over others 62in the body of the musical instrument M until it connects with theheel-socket I (Best seen in Fig. 6.) This socket comprises a slidingblock 63, having at its corners anti-friction wheels 64, which move inguides 65,carried by the musical instrument, the block being drawnnormally to the rear by a spring 66; but when it is desired to impart apull to the cord 60, as when the entire piece of music is to berepeated, the operator presses his heel in a socket 67 at the front endof a bar 68, which projects forwardly from the block 63 and draws thewhole device outward. In the case of a square piano, where it is notconvenient to have the guides near the operators foot, I may lead thecord (30 beneath the keyboard, as shown in Fig. 3, and operate thepiece-repeating mechanism by a kneeshift substantiallylike the'onedescribed hereinafter, although I prefer, where it is possi ble, toemploy the heel-socket just described.

It often occurs that a certain strain in a piece is to be repeated, andas this strain may extend over a page it becomes necessary, in order torepeat it, to turn back one page, and this operation I effect by thestrain-repeating mechanism. (Best seen in Figs. 4 and 12.) Each of thecranks 34 has projecting outwardly therefrom a loop '70, the severalloops varying in length, as seen, and 71 is aspring having its free end72 hooked and of such length that it will engage the loop of only thelast crank which has passed over to the left. The other end of thisspring is secured to a block 03, which moves in guides 75 and is bornenormally to the left bya spring 76, and

IIO

the block 63 may correspond with that shown in Fig. 8 and alreadydescribedthat is to say, it may have friction-wheels at its cornersengaging the guides '75.

From the block 63 leads a cord 80, passing over a grooved pulley 81 atthe right extremity of the guides and over other pulleys 82 in the bodyof the musical instrument until it connects with the knee-shift S. (Bestseen in Fig. 5.) This knee-shift comprises a sliding block 63", whichmay have anti-friction wheels at its corners, the same as the block 03,and which moves in guides 85, toward whose left end it is normally drawnby a spring 86. From the block 63 depends a plate 87, which is adaptedto be struck by the right knee, and when a strain is to be repeated thelast page can be turned back (that is to the right) by moving this plateto the right by the right knee, this movement of the kneeshift drawingon the cord and operating the strain-repeating mechanism S in the mannerabove described. hen the piecemepeating mechanism is to be operated by aknee-shaft instead of by the heel-socket, as above described, suchadditional knee-shift will be placed under the keyboard in position tobe struck by the left knee and moved outwardly, its spring, of course,drawing it in the opposite direction, and that knee-shift willpreferably be the counterpart of this, and hence needs no furtherdescription or illustration.

It will be obvious that when one or more of the cranked rods 0 are drawnto the right against the tension of their springs some mechanism must beprovided which will hold these rods and which will be capable ofreleasing them one by one at proper moments when it is desired to turnover a page. Such mechanism I call the escapement E, which is best seeninFig. 13. The said escapement consists of a block 93, preferably havinga forked and beveled front end 92 and a laterally-projecting lug 91, thesaid block sliding in guides 95, which may have anti-friction rollers 9tand inturned lips 97 on their upper sides, and the block is normallydrawn to the rear by a spring 96.

is a spring-arm,of L shape, whose inner end is secured to one of theguides and whose downturned outer end is adapted to engage one of thefingers 51, projecting from the crank 34, when the block 93 is movedforward, so that the lug 91 depresses this springarm. 98 is anotherspring-arm secured at its rear end to one of the guides 95 and its frontend having a vertical T-shaped head 99, whose lateral arms are adaptedto be engaged by the beveled upper edges of the fork 92, so that whenthe block is moved forward this head is raised and will pass over thefinger 51, while the head of the other arm 90 is descendingand engagingthe finger next in the rear. By this means a finger can be released andallowed to fly around with the crank 34:, as seen in Fig. 13, and whenthe power which produces the forward movement of the block is relaxedand the block moves to the rear under the force of the spring 96 the arm90 ascends and the spring-arm 98 descends, whereby the arm 90 releasesthe fingers and they are held behind the vertical portion of the head 99of the arm 98, the front finger bearing against said portion and theplates 52 of those in rear bearing, respectively, against the fingersnext in front. Then a new forward impulse is imparted to the block, theoperation will be repeated. The lower end of the T-head 99 has aforwardly-projecting and upwardly inclined guide 99, and when one orseveral of the cranks are drawn back, as by the strain or piecerepeating mechanisms above described, the finger or fingers 51 passunder this guide and are successively engaged by the head 99, which actslike a spring-actuated pawl. Hence this escapement not only permits thesuccessive release of the fingers, as desired, but also receives andengages as many of said fingers as may be drawn back when portions ofthe music are to be repeated.

From the block 93 leads a cord 100, passing over a grooved pulley 101 inthe casing and then over other pulleys 102 in the body of the musicalinstrument until it connects with a foot-lever E, (best seen in Fig. 7,)and which comprises the mechanism for operating the escapement E. Thesaid foot-lever E consists of a plain straight body 103, pivoted at 10ainside the casing of an upright or to a lateral extension of thepedal-support of a square piano, as seen at 105 in Fig. 3, thisextension when it is used carrying one of the pulleys 102. The front endof the body is enlarged or turned up, as at 106, to form a plate,against which the operators left foot may be borne when it is desired toturn over a leaf. By the turning of this lever and the drawing on thecord the escapement is operated in the manner above described.

I have shown my improved attachment with the cords led through thecasing of a piano, and this is preferable; but in case such arrangementshould involve too much expense, complication of mechanism, or injury tothe instrument it is to be understood that the cords could be led aroundthe exterior of the instrument to the proper points beneath. In fact, avery slight change, amounting merely to the adaptation of the parts ofthis device, would render it attachable to instruments now in use, andsuch changes I consider as coming within the scope of the invention.

It may be found desirable to provide other means for adjusting the footof the rack for holding the covers of the book for operating each of themechanisms described, or, in fact, to take the place of one or more ofsaid mechanisms; but I desire it to be understood that the several partsof this invention may be used independently or in connection with otherdevices in so far as it is possible to do so, and considerable change inand elaboration of the details may be made without departing from theprinciples involved.

What is to be claimed as new is 1. In a leaf-turner, the combination,with the casing, the turning mechanism therein, and means for operatingsaid mechanism, of a rack depending from said casing, a foot-piecevertically adjustable on said rack, pins in the sides of the casing,cleats on the piano, and arms detachably inserted between said cleatsand having eyes pivotally embracing said pins, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, the turningmechanism therein projecting below the lower end of the casing,sheet-holding arms carried by said mechanism, and means for operatingthe mechanism, of a rack depending from the casing below said arms, avertically-adjustable foot-piece 011 said rack, pins in the sides of thecasing, and eyes supported by the piano, with which said pins detachablyengage, as and for the purpose set forth.

The herein-described rack, the same comprising a body, a foot-piecealong the lower edge thereof, a block at each side of the body,

a vertical spring projecting from said block, a lug adjacent the block,a lever pivoted to said lug, and a roller in the inner end of the leveradapted to be borne against the spring, as and for the purpose setforth.

4. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, the turningmechanism therein projecting below the lower end of the casing,sheet-holding arms carried by said mechanism, and means for operatingthe mechanism, of a rack depending from the casing, a footpiece at thelower end of said rack, andholders mounted on the edges of the rack,each comprising a spring having one free end and a pivoted lever havingaroller adapted to bear said free end against the sheet, as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, the cranked rodstherein, their lower ends projecting below the casing,laterally-projecting plates at said lower ends of inverted-U shape, bentrods proj eoting from the outer ends of said plates and having U-shapeddepressions, and means for operating the cranked rods, of sheet-turningarms, substantially as described, whose inner ends are detachablyengaged with the bent plates and the depressions in the rods, as setforth.

6. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing having blockstherein, a number of cranked rods journaled in said blocks with theircranks between them, sleeves on each rod preventing its verticaldisplacement, and sheet-turning arms carried by the lower ends of saidrods, the upper end of each rod being bent laterally, of contractilesprings connecting said laterally-bent ends with the left side of thecasing, an escapement in the casing to the right of said blocks, adaptedto release the cranks of said rods one by one, and means for operatingsaid escapement, substantially as described.

7. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, vertical rods journaled therein and having laterally-bent upper ends, and sheetturningarms carried by the lower ends of said rods, of contractile springsconnecting said laterally-bent ends with the left side of the casing,fingers projecting from said rods, an escapement in the casing to theright of the rods, adapted to release the fingers of the rods one byone, and means for operating said escapement, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, upright rodsjournaled therein, sheet-turning arms carried by their lower ends, andsprings normally throwing said arms to the left, of fingers projectingfrom said rods, a plate on every alternate finger for holding thefingers separated, an escapement in the casing to the right of the rods,having two heads alternately engaging said fingers, and

means for operating said escapement, substantially as described.

9. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, upright rodsjournaled therein, sheet-turning arms carried by their lower ends, andsprings normally throwing said arms to the left, of fingers projectingfrom said rods, a plate on every alternate finger for holding thefingers separated, an L-shaped arm having a springbody and a dependingfront end, another spring-arm having a T- shaped head, these arms beingsecured in the casing to the right of the rods with their lower endsadapted to engage alternate fingers, and means, substantially asdescribed, for moving said arms in opposite directions, as and for thepurpose set forth.

10. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, an upright rodjournaled therein, a sheet-turning arm carried by its lower end, aspring normally throwing said arm to the left, and a finger projectingfrom the rod approximately parallel with the arm, of a springarmprojecting from the casing at the rightof said rod,a T-head at its frontend whose vertical portion normally engages said finger, a block havinga forked and rearwardly inclined front end engaging the horizontalportion of said head, and means for operating said block, substantiallyas described.

11. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, upright rodsjournaled therein, sheet-turning arms carried by their lower ends,springs normally throwing said arms to the left, fingers projecting fromsaid rods, and a plate on every alternate finger for normally holdingthe fingers separated, of a spring-arm projecting from the casing at theright of said rods, a T-head at its front end whose vertical portionnormally engages one of the fingers, an upwardly-rising spring-arm alsoprojecting from the casing and having a depending front end or headadjacent, slightly in rear of and its lower end standing normallyslightly above that of the T-head, a block having a forked andrearwardly-inclined front end engaging the horizontal portion of theT-head, a lug on said block engaging the upper side of saidupwardly-rising spring-arm, and means for operating said block, as andfor the purpose set forth.

12. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, the cranked rodsjournaled therein, the sheet-turning arms carried by the rods, and thefingers projecting from said rods, of an escapement adapted to releasesaid fingers one by one, a footlever, an operatingcord connecting saidlever with the escapement, and a spring in the escapement opposing thetension of said cord, substantially as described.

13. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, an upright rodjournaled therein, a sheet-turning arm carried by its lower end, aspring normally throwing said arm to the left, and a finger projectingfrom the rod, of a spring-arm projecting from the casing, a T- head atits front end whose lower end normally engages said finger when thesheetturning arm is moved to the right, an upwardly and forwardlyinclined guide projecting from the lower end of said head, a blockhaving a forked and rearwardly inclined front end engaging thehorizontal portion of said head, and means for operating said block, asand for the purpose set forth.

14:. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, an upright rodjournaled therein, a sheet-turning arm carried by its lower end, aspring normally throwing said arm to the left, a finger projecting fromthe rod, and means for turning said arm to the right when desired, of aspring-actuated escapementhaving an inclined guide at its front end andautomatically engaging said finger when the arm is turned to the right,and means for tripping said escapement, as and for the purpose setforth.

15. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, upright rodsjournaled therein, sheet-turning arms carried by their lower ends,springs normally throwing said arms to the left, and an escapement,substantially as described, engaging the rods for holding the arms tothe right and releasing them one by one when desired, of an armprojecting from the last rod of the series and standing parallel withits sheet-turning arm, a cord leading from said arm over a pulley in thecasing at the right of the arms, and means for drawing on said cord, asand for the purpose set forth.

16. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the oscillating rods, thesheet-turning arms carried thereby, springs normally throwing said armsin one direction, an escapement retaining them against the tension ofsaid springs, and means for operating the escapement, of an armprojecting from the last rod of the series, a cord leading from said armover pulleys, a block sliding in guides, to which block the cord isconnected, and a heelsocket projecting from said block, substantially asdescribed.

17 In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the casing, the cranked rodsjournaled therein, the sheet-turning arms carried by their lower ends,springs normally throwing said arms to the left, an escapement holdingthe arms to the right, and means for operating the escapement, of loopsprojecting from the cranks of said rods and of variable lengths, aspring having a hook at one end engaging the loop on the last rod whichhas been released by the escapement, and means for moving said springbodily to the right, as and for the purpose set forth.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination, with theparallel guides, of a block between said guides and having antifrictionwheels at its corners engaging them, a spring connecting the block withone of the guides for drawing said block in one directian, and means formoving said block manually in the opposite direction, as and for thepurpose set forth.

19. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the spring-actuated crankedrods'oarrying the sheet-turning arms at their lower ends, of anescapement holding said arms to the right and adapted to release themone by one, means for returning the last one and other means forreturning all of the arms which have been released, cords leading fromthe escapement and the returning devices to the exterior of the casing,and pedals independently connected to said cords, whereby the player mayoperate the turner without the use of his hands, all substantially ashereinbefore set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. HUFF.

Witnesses:

WILL S. Bnvson, J. M. CHILDREss.

